"This relationship is quite messy. I never thought that old fart would have such a young daughter at his age. Truly vigorous for his years…"
Chen Xiao quipped.
In truth, Chen Xiao was just making casual remarks. He knew that with the vitality of a martial artist, let alone being fertile at sixty or seventy, even doing so at a hundred wouldn't be difficult.
Chen Xiao also felt Liu Yu's speculation was correct. After all, no one had seen Jin Zaishi eat Kuriyama Chizuru.
Now, Kuriyama Chizuru, Jin Zaishi, and Mitsui Akiha were all dead.
With no witnesses, it was only natural for Kuraki Kazuo to hold Chen Xiao, their common enemy, accountable.
"So, Mr. Chen, what are your plans? Are you going to accept the challenge?"
Liu Yu asked.
"Yes, of course, I'm going!"
Chen Xiao stated matter-of-factly. "They've provoked me to my doorstep. I can't just be a shrinking violet. Besides, this is a good opportunity to test the level of these so-called S-class ability users."
Chen Xiao smiled slightly, a fighting spirit igniting in his eyes.
Hearing this, Liu Yu could only click her tongue in admiration. To speak so casually about a life-or-death duel with an S-class ability user, it was likely only the person in front of her who could do so.
That evening, Chen Xiao arrived at the appointed time.
At midnight, a bright moon hung in the sky.
Beneath the moon lay a river, its surface shimmering.
On the riverbank, an old man stood alone, sword in hand, adding a grim aura to the scene.
"You've finally arrived!"
Looking in the direction Chen Xiao was walking, Kuraki Kazuo said faintly.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao rolled his eyes. "What do you mean 'I've finally arrived'? You set the time, and I'm here punctually. Why does it sound like I'm late?"
Kuraki Kazuo's expression faltered. He had prepared a host of incredibly cool lines, but Chen Xiao's interruption had instantly deflated his intended grandeur.
His lines would now have no opportunity to be spoken.
"Forget it. I don't want to waste words with you. Young man, let us have a decisive battle to the death!"
Kuraki Kazuo drew his long sword from its scabbard. Even with the blade still sheathed, the sharp sword intent emanating from it was undeniable.
Japanese swordsmanship had many intricacies. Even the most basic act of drawing a sword could be divided into numerous schools.
However, just as Kuraki Kazuo's hand grasped the hilt, Chen Xiao suddenly raised his hand to interrupt. "Wait! Old man, we have no past grievances and no recent enmity. What's the meaning of wanting a fight to the death as soon as we meet? Of course, since I'm here today, I have no intention of being a coward. But before we fight, shouldn't we clarify things?"
"Hmph, you're still playing dumb with me?"
Kuraki Kazuo said coldly. "I ask you, did you kill Kuriyama Chizuru and Mitsui Akiha?"
"So it's about this after all."
Chen Xiao shrugged, then took out his phone and played a video for Kuraki Kazuo.
"Old man, open your eyes wide and see who really killed your daughter!"
When Kuraki Kazuo saw the scene in the video, where Kuriyama Chizuru's head was half-devoured by Jin Zaishi, he cried out in grief and rage, his silver hair standing on end.
"Baka yarou!"
Kuraki Kazuo gritted his teeth and cursed, "Jin Zhengxi, you old dog, how dare you deceive me! I will fight you to the death to avenge my daughter!"
At this moment, he was no longer a respected sword master, but merely an old father blinded by anger.
As soon as he finished speaking, a voice filled with disdain came from behind a pile of rocks nearby.
"Axi ba! Kuraki Kazuo, you son of a bitch, why did you expose me! Didn't we agree that you would distract him while I delivered the fatal blow from behind?"
Following this voice, a middle-aged man in a brown leather jacket emerged from behind the rocks.
This middle-aged man was portly, with a stout build, a round face adorned with two small eyes, a small nose, and a small mouth.
The man's appearance seemed honest and simple, but within that simplicity, there was a hint of cunning.
Just then, Liu Yu's voice came through Chen Xiao's earpiece.
"Mr. Chen, this is bad. This person is Jin Zhengxi, one of the Night Organization's three S-class ability users. Do not be fooled by his honest appearance; he is actually very cunning and skilled at stirring up trouble. Furthermore, from what I know, he is over eighty years old!"
On the rooftop of a tall building near the river, Liu Yu and Shi Lei were observing the situation by the river with high-powered binoculars.
Chen Xiao hadn't expected Jin Zhengxi to be over eighty. He looked at most forty, and Chen Xiao wondered if it was due to cosmetic surgery or some special medication.
"Jin Zhengxi, my daughter died at the hands of your Jin family. Do you expect me to cooperate with you?"
Kuraki Kazuo tightened his grip on his sword hilt and spat at Jin Zhengxi. "Don't dream. Not only will I not cooperate, but I will also eliminate you!"
"Axi!"
Jin Zhengxi impatiently scratched the back of his head. "Kuraki Kazuo, you son of a bitch, your daughter is already dead anyway. Does it matter who killed her? You're in good health, you can have another one!"
"Baka yarou!"
Kuraki Kazuo shouted in anger.
Jin Zhengxi said dismissively, "You son of a bitch, don't forget what your goal is, and don't forget who our common enemy is. Cooperate with me to eliminate this dog named Chen first. We can settle our grievances later!"
Upon hearing this, Kuraki Kazuo fell into contemplation. After a moment, he let out a cold snort, reaching a consensus with Jin Zhengxi.
"Mr. Chen, I apologize. It seems I cannot have a one-on-one duel with you, because you must die today!"
Kuraki Kazuo said hypocritically, as if he had ever intended to fight Chen Xiao alone.
Liu Yu inwardly cried out, "If it were just one S-class ability user, I believe Mr. Chen would have a sure victory. But two..."
Before she could finish, Chen Xiao's voice came through the earpiece.
"Hey, even if you don't think highly of me, you shouldn't say it out loud. I can hear you."
Liu Yu's face immediately turned embarrassed. She apologized to Chen Xiao, "My apologies, Mr. Chen. Seeing two S-class ability users appear, I was momentarily flustered. Please forgive me..."
"Two?"
Chen Xiao's lips curved upwards as he said faintly, "There's more than two of them!"
"What? More than two?"
Liu Yu was taken aback by his words.
Chen Xiao, however, shouted towards the river, "Since you're here, why are you hiding in the water and not showing yourselves? Are you playing turtles?"
As soon as his voice fell, a vortex suddenly churned in the middle of the river...